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A marine wearing a mask to protect his identity holds on as frigid spray flies from the side of a Mexican naval vessel at dusk. The crew patrols the ocean from the U.S. border to Ensenada, looking for boats smuggling immigrants.

ENSENADA, MEXICO - FEBRUARY 23, 2011: Mexican Naval "Interceptor" crew patrols the ocean between the US border and Ensenada Mexico on the lookout for smugglers on FEBRUARY 23, 2011. (Bob Chamberlin / Los Angeles)

A Mexican naval Interceptor cruises the shore between the U.S. border and Ensenada. There’s been a surge in sea-based smuggling of illegal immigrants since U.S. authorities boosted enforcement on land.

Mexican navy on patrol for smugglers

Smugglers are launching more immigrant-filled boats than ever before toward California – about one every three days – and taking extraordinary, sometimes dangerous, measures to evade U.S. and Mexican patrols. Times photographer Bob Chamberlin rode along with the Mexican Navy on patrol off the coast of Ensenada. Here’s a look at that those images.